Love, Constant
by broombroom
Summary: Lily and James are 30 years old (not 20, as Canon dictates), they have demanding careers and they're madly in love. All their lovemaking results in an unprogrammed event: baby Harry's birth. Will the young family be able to overcome the terrifying hurdles lying ahead? Love always triumphs
1. Chapter 1

Lily and James are 30 years old (not 20, as Canon dictates), they have demanding careers and they're madly in love. All their lovemaking results in an unprogrammed event: baby Harry's birth. Will the young family be able to overcome the terrifying hurdles lying ahead? Love always triumphs

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **Unexpected**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of JKR's material**

Stepping into Collinsdale Laboratories Ltd certainly brought each visitor to a whole new level of sensorial stimulation: metal, tin and aluminium tubes intertwined across high ceilings; rigorously classified boxes of all shapes and sizes sat on countless rows of industrial-sized shelves. Strange instruments, sparks, smell, cranes, stretchers, cauldrons, wires assaulted the visual field from every direction, accompanied by the pitter-patting of rubber shoes worn by the employees and the slow, deep, constant rumble of power-generating machines.

Collinsdale was majestic, yet "simple at its core", basically consisting of five warehouse forming a pentagon around a spaceship-like structure, which housed the administrative area.

With stakeholders of varied nature and origin, but of similar philosophy, Collinsdale was unique as a company. Its mission statement was not very dissimilar from that of old Franciscan monks (ora et labora: pray and work), for the official motto recited "think big, work more". It frequently made headlines as one of as one of the most productive biochemical companies in the world, with its hefty contribution to the nation's GDP. It didn't hurt on this regard that two of its main stakeholders were indeed a witch and a wizard, that another one was a multimillionaire Muggle former head-of-clan of the remote Pitcairn Island and that others accounted for some among the most influential individuals in the Muggle corporate world, who generally exerted political clout.

However, the company was also somewhat secretive and deliberately kept modest in size, with just a couple of branches offshore (one in a former minefield in the Falkland Islands, the other in South East Asia) because of the _nature_ of some of its researches.

On the one hand, it was alluring to young, smart graduates thanks to a working environment that generally praised independent thought and encouraged innovation, on the other hand it was rather segregationist: scientists in the most secret departments could interact with those in less secret ones, but not vice-versa. Everyone had to abide to complicated rules of access, both "vertically and horizontally" across the organizational structure. There were only two shareholder Muggles who were aware of the "magical presence" in the company, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that much of the reasoning behind these "structural access rules" was due to "asymmetric information".

In short, to properly get an idea of what was going on inside Collinsdale Laboratories Ltd, the five warehouses of which it is composed will be briefly described:

Collinsdale: it was not far from a moor, right where the river meets the sea, on the outskirts of a city.

WAREHOUSE 1- this was where all the "fresh newbies", the newly hired workforce, was usually kept. It was a general brainstorming area where inventory was stored, cages with animals and plants were located, and about any instrument from the main fields of science (excluding Physics of particles) could be found. It was where the "Secretives" came and picked the ingredients or personnel they needed for whatever they were doing. Warehouse 1 basically had three sections: Medical Biology, Medical Physics and Chemistry.

WAREHOUSE 2- otherwise known as the Hydroelectric Tube. It was a circular multi-floor warehouse which contained a 30 m (100 ft) deep tub for experiments. It specialized in water and electricity research. Its projects included power generation for public-service use, biological research for life in water and biological conductors and a couple _more sinister_ projects too.

WAREHOUSE 3- it was a space that was devoted to the human body. It was an experimental clinic which looked like a hospital in some of its sections. The research sections here, again, included the Biomedical, the Physical and the Clinical ones. Clinical trials phases I, II and III were regularly ran.

WAREHOUSE 4- was also called "Periodic Table Frontiers". It was mostly a place devoted to the exploration of the rules of Chemistry, where Physics and Chemistry intersected, where new materials were developed. It was also where new pharmaceutical products were developed. There was a huge load of scientists in there.

WAREHOUSE 5- officially, Warehouse 5 was the hospital laboratory for Warehouse 3, but of hospital laboratory in the strict sense of the word it had _very little_ to do. It was where the magical research took place, with 80% of employees being either witches or wizards who were active in at least one of the other warehouses and who worked together to discover "what may be out of reach for Muggles". This way, magicals and non-magicals complemented each other, making researching at Collinsdale a more efficient process. Warehouse 5 was also called "Legendary Warehouse", because-it was so off-limits to most employees, that many didn't even have a clue as to where its entrance was located. To be admitted in, personnel had to possess a special ID card, after having released finger-prints and signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Here, in Warehouse 5, was where James Potter spent most of his working hours.

 _5_ _th_ _August_

James Potter, 30 years old, born in the southern region of Cornwall to wealthy elderly parents, was the dream guy for most of the female newcomers in Warehouse 1: with his broad shoulders, long legs, tan complexion and overall Greek statue good looks he was hardly unnoticeable. It certainly helped that he seemed genuinely nice most of the time and that his thick, messy black hair paired with his glasses gave him that nerdy-sexy allure that was all the trend in that environment. It definitely didn't take 190 cm (6'2''ft) tall James much effort to look irresistible, but that day James didn't wink back at his admirers, nor did he stop by to see if they needed help. That day there was barely enough room left in his brain for thoughts such as remembering the way to his office, or not forgetting to wear his scrubs. It was only 9 a.m. and his head was already spinning, but James knew he couldn't let his guard down, no matter how tired he was. The smallest mistake, and he'd be in deep, deep trouble. Or better, _they_ 'd be.

Before going on any further, let's answer what may sound like a legitimate question: how did James Potter end up working in a place such as Collinsdale Laboratories?

 _Background Story_

James used to be a teenager full of life and hormones. He loved to roughhouse with his male friends Sirius, Peter and Remus and had a knack for breaking rules, giving his father a headache each time he caused trouble.

He was active, outspoken, creative: one summer he convinced his father to sign the two of them up for a 90 km (55 mi) biking contest in Northern Norway so that he could train and race under the midnight sun.

He never seemed to have problems disrupting the social order at Hogwarts, his magical boarding school, and definitely used lots of creativity when transfiguring his "enemies" at school, such as filthy Snivellus.

Nevertheless, James also had another side to him, one that wasn't known to all. Some could simply classify him as a spoiled brat, but he had a sensitive nature. He truly took other people's feelings seriously, the well-being of his loved ones was all that mattered for him.

His mother, who was tall, dark and charming just like him, was also the only person who could discipline him by just batting an eyelash. Knowing him inside out, she had recognized that the boy had an intuition out of the ordinary, mixed with a good dose of empathy, and she figured that once his adolescent spree of hyperactivity would be over, he would be able to do something good with his qualities. She used to be a herbalist, so that every time she went collecting plants on the Cornwall hills surrounding the Potter beach mansion, she would bring James along, teaching him all she knew about curative properties of herbs, ever since he was an infant. She and James had always shared a special bond.

One day James met Muggle-born Lily Evans and as years passed, he found that she possessed many of the traits that he had come to positively associate with women, following the lead of his strong mother: force of character, determination, intelligence along with a loving, graceful nature. In his eyes, Lily was justice and forgiveness, dovetailed together by her smarts.

Initially, his interest towards her looked more like childish provocation, however his persistence eventually paid off and at 17 they became girlfriend and boyfriend. Lily was tall herself, surely not petite- she had the body of a pin-up in the making. James, on the other hand, was slowly gaining inches at that stage but was still super-skinny and beardless, so they looked a bit comical together.

There arrived a time when they graduated from Hogwarts and had to part ways.

Lily would attend university abroad, her Muggle parents were right suggesting she obtained a formal education- she reasoned. She could always wait to have a degree before trying to enter the magical workforce.

James, in a manner similar to the majority of his classmates, had his mind set on Auror training.

The two of them shed many tears upon departure but they knew this separation was necessary- though they silently hoped they would meet again, one day.

However, the unthinkable happened.

James spent six months at the Auror Academy, got bored, hated the whole "obey and do not question" training style and eventually dropped out. The following academic year he went on to study Healing, as per his mother's suggestion. After three years he obtained his degree and decided to further his studies "the Muggle way". He was accepted at Tufts University in the U.S.A. for his Master's degree and subsequently transferred to Stanford University which had a dual Healing-MD secret department and where he specialized in Trauma Medicine. He spent 8 months interning in a hospital where he saw the horrors of the ongoing War first-hand and where he was frustrated by the difficulty of healing injured or ill bodies. Sadly, his own parents succumbed to an incurable disease, and his mother, on her deathbed, said: "Since I first laid my eyes on you I knew you'd do great things, James. Go ahead, son, the world awaits you". This pushed him to apply for a PhD program in a practical Medicine/Healing research. Eventually, that path landed him his job at Collinsdale Laboratories, through which he later got in touch with the Intelligence Department of the Ministry…

Lily took her own time to get her Bachelor's degree in Economics, International Relations and Political Science, but obtained two MSc's like a boss, and after a seminar in Criminology, she landed a much sought-after position in the Intelligence branch of the Ministry of Magic (which is the Muggle equivalent of a CIA, FBI, Foreign Service and Interpol mix). She was determined to play her role stopping the War. Had there not been a War, she might have chosen something different, but she had now embarked that path, and she would "go down with the Intelligence Dept ship". She quickly progressed in her career. She seemed cold, but her colleagues soon realized that it was because she felt responsible for their safety, too. She charmed many male colleagues with her stunning beauty and gracefulness, but never let anything distract her from her duties. Due to her reliability and "outside the box" thinking skills, she was appointed director of her own micro-department just two years from when she was first employed. She was often sent on dangerous but interesting missions abroad, on assignment to hardship posts, such as when she had to help prevent a gang of smugglers from stealing a sacred stone of the rainforest in Indonesia. She was tough, but not unbreakable, and some nights were longer than others, when anxiety prevented her from falling asleep, and tears of unspoken fear and frustration streaked her cheeks. The next day, she would stand up, go to work, hoping for a turning point.

James was sensitive, but he was tougher and more profound than anyone would suspect, underneath. Lily had her mind set on becoming something like a healer or potioneer in the beginning. James had his mind set on becoming an Auror and "defeat the bad guys" in the beginning. That reversal of roles was totally unexpected, but, on hindsight, perfectly logical.

Eight and a half years passed before Lily and James met again. Eight and a half years since the day they parted ways on that summer day after Hogwarts graduation. It happened at the first Order of the Phoenix meeting they both attended. Eight and a half years that to them felt more like a minute. Initially, they both played hard to get, they seemed cynical and sarcastic, when in truth they were just trying to manage the incredible sexual tension. Their attraction was palpable, so much so that Sirius, being true to his own character, one day left the room they were all in saying "Holy cow, do something guys, you know what old Sirius means, it is dangerous being around you, someone could get electrocuted…ouch!"

Things only progressed from there, in spite of their reluctant indignation. In the span of six months, James saved Lily from certain death when Bellatrix Lestrange slit her throat open; Lily saved James when he was abducted by a group of Death Eaters; James broke up with his girlfriend with whom he had been in a stagnating relationship for some time, Lily left her stupid boyfriend from work; while on a joint assignment in Florence they _finally_ kissed, and it was a crescendo from there on. They were intoxicated with each other. Soon, their relationship grew so strong that they felt incomplete without each other. They had become a family.

Exactly one year before Harry's birth, they proposed to each other (literally) while on a raging fight on a New York City rooftop. Battered and bleeding, they vowed eternal loyalty to each other, sealing their love with a kiss in Times Square. In October that year they celebrated a modest wedding with just a few close friends that was far from their ideal of ceremony. They couldn't do anything about it: they didn't know if they'd survive to see the next spring. Life was hard, losses were terrible to bear, everything seemed precarious, vulnerable, or corrupt. The lines of reality were fading continuously and on most days the only certainty they had was each other's presence. When they were by themselves they liked to joke around, tease each other. They were madly in love. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they made love to each other as often as possible. Especially right before and right after the wedding, their lovemaking spree was at its maximum. With the war raging outside, public places shut down, after having spent a whole day risking their own necks, they would feel an incredible urge to make love, to confirm their being alive and their undying love. Sometimes, on the rare occasions they made it home at the same time they would start making out before reaching the door. Every place was suitable for them: the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom, the living room, the prairie while on assignment, the sea, a tree…anywhere. This being said, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that even while "on precautions", not even two months into their marriage they had a baby on the way.

 _End Background Story_

James passed one hand through his hair, clutching a folder of documents he had retrieved in Warehouse 1. He sighed. He was nervous. He felt something squirm against his chest and thought "oh no!", trying to calm himself. He could manipulate his face to look like nothing unusual was going on at all, but he couldn't hide his accelerated heartbeat from the little creature resting against it. He jumped on one elevator and improvised a small dance, hoping that it would work. Thankfully, the squirming ceased. James not even had the time to release a sigh of relief that the elevator door sprang open at level 2 of Warehouse 3 (James' other assigned Warehouse alongside the 5th) to reveal supervisor Dorman, a snotty opportunistic man of 35, who, although a foot shorter, stepped in glancing at James in a superior way.

"Potter, so glad to see you at last" he soppily chimed in, alluding to the six days James had been absent from work. James had to restrain himself from the urge of saying a word or two to the slimy man, given the circumstances. He knew all envious Dorman was looking for an excuse to: a) blackmail him, b) deride him publicly, c) report him to the Direction. James' colleagues suspected Dorman had taken a dislike for James, who was generally quite outspoken about bad management and prioritized things accordingly to "the urgency of the situation" rather than blindly following protocols, and whose initiatives were generally more well-received than Dorman's.

With a forceful smile, James replied: "Yes, Dorman. Bad situation down at Ruthwill Hospital, with all those rebels, Death Eaters, and stuff". James spent a portion of his weekends volunteering at a hospital where lots of injured from the war were regularly shipped. They mostly consisted of Muggle casualties of the wizarding war, but was also used for emergency magical cases when the other hospitals were full. Almost everyone who knew James at Collinsdale knew he worked there, since he was in charge of monitoring several trauma experimental patients in Warehouse 3. So, it seemed like a good _excuse_ to pull on Dorman. This didn't stop, however, the tiny slimy man from "x-raying" him with a suspicious look. He was probably trying to frame him, looking for the tiniest piece of evidence that he was hiding something, and man, was the hateful bastard right. James tried his best to look all relaxed, while swallowing a lump that was forming in his throat. As a response, Dorman narrowed his eyes even more.

Thankfully, the elevator's bell rang, announcing "Warehouse 5, level 4". James excused himself a little to eagerly, speeding away from Dorman, never turning back until after walking along a seemingly infinite corridor, which counted several research units at its sides. He finally reached his own office, which he shared with a half Dutch, half American colleague, Jorden Vandenlangenberg. Jorden, a father of three, was a good-hearted pal. As tall as the door, he looked like a blonde-bearded Teddy bear. He was one of the few Muggles working in Warehouse 5, owing that very peculiar position to his training as a Genetic Engineer and to his marriage to a witch. James shut their industrial-like, yellow-taped door behind him, panting. That was really unlike him.

"For Jupiter's eyeballs, James!" Jorden stood up, half surprised, half relieved to see his friend. He had been informed of the _situation_ , but still, he didn't have a clue as to when Potter would show up. That day, he was one of the few colleagues who had been warned about the "new entry" James would bring. That yelling caught the attention of Neeta, a svelte British-Nigerian in her late 40s, who peeked inside with a reprimanding look "Why the hell are you screaming your lungs out, Vandenlan…oooh! James! You come back today and you don't say a word!? You bad boy! Let auntie Neeta meet her cutie pie!" she yelled, even louder than Jorden had. "Ssshhh! You'll get us uncovered!" the two colleagues started their usual bickering. "It's so good to be here, guys" James sighed, trying to gain attention. It worked, for Neeta and Jorden stopped teasing each other right away, and gaped at James' direction, wide-eyed. The reason they were doing so was because the black-haired wizard had opened his jacket, unwrapped a band from his torso and revealed to daylight a tiny, bulge-eyed, puffy-haired newborn baby.

The next minutes were a concert of aaah and oooh and cooing and teary-eyed compliments from his two colleagues, who were mesmerized by that little child. During that time of war and loss, few things could bring the morale up like the birth of a kid. Jorden patted James on the back: "Congratulations, man! Welcome to the circle of daddies!" James laughed "I can already see he has your mouth, James. And your nose, I suspect. Oh, and definitely your _hair_!" everybody laughed at Neeta's remark. "Man, this is incredible. Are you getting any sleep, new dad? You look awful" Neeta continued, straightforward as usual. James found solace in her almost maternal ways "Honestly no, not really. How could I? The battle, then he was born, then Lily's departure…receiving her messages has been difficult. Sirius, my best friend, you know, has been helping out collecting those, coming to our place when he can…but he doesn't have much time himself. Harry doesn't like to sleep at night, so I stay up with him. He's so tiny I'm always afraid of hurting him in some way" "Geez, yeah, I remember when my first daughter was born, I get the feeling" Jorden sympathized. "I am learning how to change him, clean him, feed him, soothe him…and probably he's learning to adjust to me too. He doesn't eat that much, and that worries me at times"

"What about your wife, James? Where is she?" Jorden inquired.

"I can only wonder where…"

"That's insane, who would send a woman on a dangerous mission so early after giving birth?!" angrily snapped Neeta

James explained: "The fact is, we had to keep the pregnancy a secret to her superiors. It was for the baby's safety. Declining to join the mission would have meant them inquiring as to why she wouldn't go, and that would have uncovered us. So, simply put, she was left with no choice but to go. It is _so_ difficult for me…every hour that passes I should feel more relieved that she's closer to coming back, but it's quite the opposite. I shouldn't have let her go, I should've worked out a different plan! It's terrible…our baby needs her. As do I"

Neeta and Jorden knew James' wife was the only family that he had left. They had realized how close the pair was, and they could only imagine how terrible it must have been to miss out on the first days together as a family of three. Days that would never come back, ever. They had shown their support throughout all the unprogrammed pregnancy, and now slightly pre-term arrival, of this baby, and they wouldn't stop.

"She knows what she's doing. She's one tough piece of a woman. Otherwise, how else could she manage you, James!" Neeta exclaimed, causing James to giggle. For some reason, tears started to form in the corner of his eyes, without falling. He had had to be strong in the last few days, and remain hopeful, but now all those emotions that he had been holding back were washing over him, like untamed ocean waves.

That day, the colleague team of Warehouse 5 showed James their support by taking responsibility for most of his jurisdictions, so that he could look after Harry, who seemed to alternate moments of contentedness with moments of downright desperation. "Just like your dad" silently thought James. Harry's wails were so loud that James feared the sound-blocking charm would wear-off.

At the end of a long day Harry was sleeping in his father's arms, who cradled him gently. He was taken over by sensations that he had never experienced before. He felt a love for his son so strong that he was ready to accomplish the impossible to protect him, and to give him the life he deserved. Harry was only a baby, but James knew many of their enemies were just waiting for a chance to harm him, as a form of revenge, threat or retaliation. Due to their accidentally having brought a child to life in difficult times, James perceived his new role as a father as one of immense responsibility. At the same time, he felt crushed by the magnitude of it all. Nonetheless, he would do his best and even more, just like his own parents had done for him, even if it meant working like a thousand men. Moreover- he frantically reflected- who would take care of Harry if something happened to them? He had his friends, but still…how could he be granted his son would receive the absolute best? So he and Lily would have to add an extra dose of carefulness to their burden if everyday task, on top of all else.

That was all Harry really had: himself- and Lily. Lily. Oh, Lily. Where was she? The moment was overwhelming.

"Wherever you are, Lily, please, be well and safe" James whispered while looking through the large windowpanes, the last rays of a flaming red sun reflecting the surface of Earth.

 **Here Chapter 1 comes to an end. It was long and a bit unusual maybe, but I hope you enjoyed. R/R is appreciated, thanks** **J**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Moon on Earth**

 **Disclaimer: JKR's stuff is hers. Mine is mine. Everyone's happy ;)**

 _Tatacoa desert, Colombia, 8_ _th_ _August, 1:00 a.m._

Lily Evans sat in the middle of the rusty caravan where they were camping for the night. It was her turn to be in charge of security. Five out of her seven companions were asleep, wands still at hand. Lily herself was equipped for any emergency situation, with several "Attack & Dismantle" devices and an anti-curse+bullet safety jacket tightly strapped around her torso. She was embracing a heavy fire-extinguisher as if it were a MK 60 machine gun. She had filled it with a petrifying liquid substance that stung like pepper spray. Her pockets were full of "insta-nets", little balls that, when released, would trap enemies in a sticky net.

Lily was breathing heavily, droplets of sweat beading her ivory forehead, the events of the last week taking a toll on her body. She was nauseous, with a headache, everything hurt. Even she had to admit that she couldn't have possibly been in a better shape: during the last four days, what was initially meant to be a short international anti-illicit traffic operation in the Salar de Uyuni salt desert (Bolivia), had turned into an epic chase across four countries, multiple ecosystems, over 5000 km (3100 mi) and differing altitudes and climates, complete with deadly bandits shooting curses and/or bullets at them. Lily and her team had patrolled the moon-like Salar de Uyuni, the Brazilian rainforest districts of Acre and Amazonas, Puerto Maldonado in the Madre de Dios region in Peru, the city of Cali in Colombia and now the tropical dry forest known as Tatacoa Desert, more often than not engaging in dangerous fights with the criminals they were pursuing. They had endured extreme temperature swings, mosquito bites, altitude sickness, sleepless nights, food poisoning and long treks inside tangled, humid jungles. They had magically disguised themselves as llamas to follow their targets along vertiginous trails. They had had set backs, unforeseen difficulties, injured or ill team members to deal with. The team was tired and muddy, but they wouldn't leave until all their targets were caught. What was worrisome to them was that the criminals were heading north, and if they managed to reach the Panama Canal there would be no way at all for them to be tracked down. They were going after that particular ring of gangsters because they knew Death Eaters engaged in illegal transactions with it. Moreover, it was this gang they sourced most of their weapons from. All in all, definitely not like a walk in the park.

However, on the contrary of her colleagues, Lily had not started off the mission well-rested and in full shape. She had just _given birth_. Definitely not an ordinary birthing experience, either: Lily's labor was induced after a bunch of Death Eaters ambushed her and a few other Order of the Phoenix members, unleashing a raging fight.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _31_ _st_ _July, 3:00 p.m._

 _People never fully realized how serious the situation was getting until after Death Eaters attacks started occurring even in broad daylight. Everyone knew that Voldemort's organization privileged the night as a time of action, both for strategic and theatrical reasons (like the casting of the Dark Mark), so if now they were feeling organized and powerful enough to attack at practically any place and any time, it meant that things were really spiraling out of control. That day a group of three Order of Phoenix members was engaging in a violent battle with six Death Eaters in the forest near Canterbury. The Order members had gone there to evacuate a Muggle-born family that lived in a hut in the forest, expecting a relatively risk-free job. Little did they know that the Death Eaters had already killed the entire family and were hiding behind bushes, ready to ambush them. Not even five minutes had passed, and the battle was already proving to be of a bloody, vicious kind._

 _Lily Evans was worried. Very worried. It wasn't that she was_ that _afraid of six clumsy Death Eaters, she had single-handedly managed her way out of worse situations. It was the baby she was carrying she was distressing about. She was nearing the end of her pregnancy, and that did slow her movements. Emmeline Vance and Elphias Dodge were fighting alongside her. At one point, a female Death Eater named Alecto Carrow harpooned Emmeline in the face with a claw-like metal device. The poor witch howled in pain and Lily instinctively hurled herself at the Death Eater, stunning her. Alas, she had not reckoned on Amycus, Alecto's faithful brother: "Suck my dick, you bitch!" he screamed while aiming a right-hand-punch at Lily's cheekbone. She panicked. Her vision became blurry. Amidst the general confusion, she saw Elphias Dodge clutching a mangled arm and disapparating, probably to seek help. Lily somehow managed to disarm two Death Eaters who were approaching her, however she couldn't stop Alecto Carrow, now back up and full of vengeance, from kicking her hard in the stomach. Very hard. Lily collapsed to the ground, kneeling, her disillusioning charm wearing off her belly. She felt a blinding pain in her abdomen and immediately feared for her baby's life. She blamed herself for everything that was happening. She saw Alecto's flabby, loony face get closer to hers, while taking in what she had done. "Ooooh I see you're pregnant, bitch! You're a pregnant cow! Your bastard calf is already dead, bitch! Can the Dark Lord have veal for tonight? HAHAHA!". Lily was invested by a thousand emotions, her brain wasn't quite working, the thought of losing her child preventing her from focusing on anything else. On the one hand she wanted to assault Carrow and strangle her with her own hands, on the other she was too scared to move. Her yet-to-be-born child was already a target of Evil, in no subtle way at all._

 _In the meantime, Alecto was getting ready to strike again, while the other Death Eaters sadistically sneered at her back. Lily, clutching her stomach, felt the baby squirm lightly. This sign of hope gave her the strength to react, and with maternal instincts of survival she shot curses at every direction, trying to hit her opponents. Moments later, about a dozen Order members apparated on the scene, led by Alastor Moody. James was among them, a terrified expression on his face. He saw Alecto Carrow slash Lily's cheek with a curse and he was instantly filled with hot, boiling rage, so he transformed into Prongs and horned Alecto. She fell to the ground, unconscious. James, back to his human form, knelt and grabbed his wife's arms, trying his best to hide his fear. He always had a soothing effect on her. "J-James…I can't feel the baby move!". He tried to calm her, but he himself was dead scared "Lily, we need to get you out of here!" he said, taking sight of the stain of blood that was beginning to form between her legs. She arched her back in pain, hissing. He suspected all the commotion had caused her labor to start, too. Time was running out, he knew that a few minutes could make the difference. Assessing the situation, he quickly determined that the risk of losing his wife and baby was way higher than transporting a pregnant woman through assisted apparition, so he picked her up and concentrating as much as he could, he apparated inside one of Collinsdale's emergency centers, where he knew he could find gynaecologists and midwives._

 _4:15 p.m._

 _Lily was in a small, sterile room, surrounded by a team of medical personnel. She was lying on her back, her legs were divaricated, her face had turned a shade of prune. Lily was internally hemorrhaging, Alecto's kick had ruptured her placenta, and now they were trying to save the baby, who had miraculously survived. The medical staff had induced a labor acceleration and had aspirated blood so that the baby would be facilitated. Hooked to a myriad of monitors, Lily still couldn't quite believe that everything was really happening. She was on auto drive. This birthing experience was so different from the dolphin-assisted birth at sea that she dreamed about, yet all that mattered now was the baby's survival. James had wrapped an arm around her shoulders and he was holding her hand in his. "I can see the head" the head gynaecologist announced "Come on Lily, honey, push, push!" James encouraged her. His face had turned of a purple shade, too. Lily's eyes were shut so close in the effort of pushing that they now resembled a single line. She screamed. As she pushed, blood splattered from between her legs to the white wall in front of her. "Holy crap!" the head gynaecologist couldn't contain himself. James perked his head in a frenzied way. "Take the baby out!" he screamed in unison with someone else. Lily let out another chilling scream._

 _4:22 p.m._

 _The team extracted the baby with magic. "It's a boy!" a midwife exclaimed, but everyone was too focused on saving mother and baby to really pay attention to that. As he came out, a river of blood gushed out of Lily's uterus. She, however, was too distressed by the fact that the baby was not crying to think about her own ailments. Her son was limp and bluish. Lily, who was on the brink of a breakdown, totally panicked. She loudly started pleading the baby to cry. James was stimulating the baby with the rest of the team. He was feeling like his sould was shattering in a million pieces. "Come on, baby, breathe" he incited. Lily was hating herself more than ever. "It is my fault…freaking Order! Freaking me!" she thought clenching her fists so tight that her nails perforated the flesh of her palms. The day of his own birth was the first time Harry Potter saved the day, or better, his parents' sanity. After four interminable minutes, he let out his first wail, meowing like a kitten. Everybody in the room let out a huge sigh of relief, someone even started clapping. Lily, for the first time since the entire ordeal had started, allowed herself to cry. Her cheeks were flooded by tears of joy and hope, something that she had not experienced in a while. James engulfed her in a tight hug, crying as well. Some members of the medical team encircled Lily to take care of her, while others wheeled the baby to another room. They had to suction residual blood off his lungs and perform other procedures. James was alternatingly kissing Lily's face and hugging her like there was no tomorrow. Lily put a determined face on and said: "James, go follow our son. Don't leave him alone. Stay with him". He looked at her hesitatingly, silently questioning her if she needed his presence herself. "I'll be fine. Go". Lily looked like she had gone through hell and back, but she still remained strong, even in her frailty. "I love you" said James sincerely. That was his Lily. James walked out while Lily was stitched-up and administered blood-replenishing potions._

 _8:00 p.m._

 _James walked back in his wife's room. The baby was healthy now, tiny but healthy. Lily was alone, the room was quiet, asleep from the exhaustion. James sat on the border of her bed and gently leaned towards her to touch her forehead. She was waxen, cold at the touch. However, when he called her name, she fluttered her eyes open. James spent some time checking on her, making sure she was stable._

 _He finally looked at her and said: "They're bringing us Harry in a few minutes, babe"._

 _"_ _Who?" she replied._

 _"_ _Harry. You said you liked that name for a boy"_

 _"_ _James, he's your son too. I don't want you to nickname him Theloniophosphorus or Astrodactyl with the excuse that you don't like his first name!"_

 _He smirked. "No, Harry is a fine name, it's a congenial name, versatile, good for all occasions. It has a powerful meaning, and it's a Medieval English name, connecting him to his origins. I thought about that. You know, I think too at times" he winked_

 _She rolled her eyes, smiling "If you say so, Healer Potter. However, let's call him Harry James"_

 _"_ _James as a second name? Why's that? Didn't you want to use your Grandpa's name?" he frowned._

 _"_ _I want him to always have a piece of his parents with him. I want him to know that we are always by his side, no matter what. You saw how close to tragedy we went today. I'm thinking about my upcoming mission…and our lifestyles…it's better if we do so, James"_

 _The room fell silent for the next few minutes. Lily had said that with such an intensity that it left them reflecting deeply about life, about their situation. The only constant they could count on was love._

 _"_ _You don't have to go on that mission, Lily. It's in two days._ Two _days! You're too weak. I'm worried for you"_

 _She sighed "we talked about it. I have to. There's no other way. Otherwise, the baby's existence will be unmasked. True, the Death Eaters knew about my pregnancy, even if now I hope they'll believe Alecto's story that the baby's dead, but the criminal world at large, and the traitors in my own department don't. You know how dangerous it would be if they came to know the truth…I would_ never _forgive myself if they did something to him because of who we are…like today. How can I forgive myself?"_

 _James shook his head anxiously, resisting the urge to bite his nails. He would try to work a different plan out while nursing his wife back to health as quickly as possible. The readier they were for anything, the higher the chances of survival._

 _"_ _Don't say this. Don't say this…Dumbledore should've known about the ambush. They should've warned us as to what expect. We ought to trust the Order less"_

 _8:45 p.m._

 _The Sun had set. The door opened, revealing two midwives carrying a swaddled baby with frizzy black hair. Lily couldn't contain her excitement when they handed him to her. "Here he is, 6 lbs (2.7 kg) and 20 in (51 cm), skinny but mighty!"_

 _Harry's face was red and wrinkled, his bulging eyes were wide open, he was flailing his lean arms about. Lily couldn't stop staring at him. She was mesmerized, feeling complete. They had survived._

 _"_ _Look, he's already sticking his tongue at us" James tried to joke. One could hear the excitement in his voice._

 _Although not really knowing how to handle a newborn, Lily and James savored their first moments as a family of three. The following hours were filled with lots of emotions, awkward baby talk, awkward baby back-patting, newborn poo, wails and more newborn poo._

 _The next morning, right when Lily had finally managed to fall asleep, came the first visitors, namely Sirius, Peter and Remus. Dear old Sirius brought a boob shaped pillow for the baby ("and for the daddy!") and a water squirt gun for the parents "to better clean yourselves after diaper changes!" Lily stared bewildered at the gifts, causing hilarity in the room. Peter brought a pack of diapers saying "I didn't know what else would be useful" and Remus, being the sensible fella that he was, brought a charmed lullaby book. All in all, an eventful first day of life for Harry James Potter_

 ** _End of Flashback._**

A young recruit called Azalea (the team's language & culture specialist) coughed in her sleep, making Lily's head turn with a startle. The precarious conditions in which they were operating had started to take a toll on some Agents' health. However, nobody had experienced altitude sickness as Lily had, due to her postpartum and post-trauma anemia. Keeping up with the rest of the team, staying alert, fighting, planning and surviving in the wild were really putting a strain on her this time around.

Weirdly enough, however, some of Lily's anxiety had subsided, so that she was having a mental rest from it all. It surely felt comfortable to have things partially under control for that night: the prisoner they were guarding had kind of disclosed that no action was to be expected from his counterparts for the next twelve hours, and Lily had come to the conclusion that she had no reason not to believe him. After all, the prisoner was clearly just a frightened teenager with little experience. She couldn't bring herself to be hard on him: the kid probably led a problematic life, which had brought him to make some really bad choices early in life. Evidently his life wasn't that valuable for his gang members if they had been so willing to shove him, fully armed, in a field swarming with Special Agents. Lily wished she could do something for that young half-Nukak, who claimed to be a San José del Guaviare native. She also wished the team would do more than just capture a homeless boy.

From the cracked window she could see the bright moon, shining in a silvery mist, and the breathtaking equatorial starry sky. The desert, which had been burning-hot during daytime, was shivering-cold in those dark hours. Animals sent their callings into the black night, almost as if they were chitter-chatting. Lily relaxed her tense muscles. If the animals were noisy, it meant no humans were approaching, since they would usually fall silent under those circumstances. Looking at the moon Lily thought of her son and husband. She missed them terribly, but somehow that night she perceived her family to be closer than usual, and that gave her a peace of mind. The distance actually felt empowering: they were a family, they were connected by love, they would always be, no matter what. She knew James believed in this very much, too. A sudden pang of sadness hit her. She stared deeper at the moon for comfort. That round shape had a soothing effect on her, for she knew that, in a few hours, Harry and James would be able to see it too, the very same satellite. They were closer than they thought, Lily told herself, acknowledging the magnitude of the universe around them. The nature surrounding her sure was beautiful, it helped her get through the hard days.

The thing that was tormenting her the most was that she had had to leave her newborn son behind. She had spent so little time with him that it was difficult coming to terms with the fact that she was missing his very first days. With hindsight, it was better that things had taken that twist: by giving birth three and a half weeks earlier she had avoided bringing a disillusioned pregnant belly to mission with her. "That would've been much worse", she thought, trying envision her 37-week-pregnant self advancing in the quicksand all the while restraining a furious gangster. At least now she knew Harry was being looked after by her husband in a…safer place. She sighed. No place was really 100% safe at that time. The reality that the war and their lifestyle were continuously endangering her little family was a source of constant stress for Lily, it used to be so when they were just the two of them, now with a child added to the mix the thought of something bad happening was close to unbearable. Lily knew she couldn't just resign her job and move far away, the truth was that there was _no exit to this game_. All she could do was rely on her Intelligence Dept. training to protect Harry better than she would have had she not had those skills.

Lily, being a smart woman, took advantage of a relatively hormone-free night to mentally prepare a plan of action to capture the enemies they were chasing after, "Preferably to make it home in time before my newborn comes of age" she bitterly laughed to herself.

Then it hit her, it was time to take the medicines and potions to support her body after giving birth in such a traumatic way. Lily dutifully drank five different liquids and swallowed four different pills. The safety jacket that she was wearing hid most of her clearly post-partum physique from her fellow Agents, her rounder face being the most distinctive visible feature. She had been able to contain her anger on team members, something that was remarkable, considering her raging hormones and physical tiredness. Sitting in the shadows, she made sure everything was quiet before loosening her safety jacket, which felt like an armor to her, to express some milk for her baby. Portkeying little bags of pumped milk always at the same time, in previous-to-departure-agreed-upon locations was the only form of communication that she risked to maintain with James. For him, it was a sign that she was alive and well. She used a spell to prevent a couple of potentially dangerous medicines from tainting her milk. Lily sighed, remembering the birth of her son. The first 48 hours spent as a family of three had been blissful. Probably they had been so intense- allowing her to forget about her pains- because she _knew_ she had very little time to spend with her boys before her departure, she reasoned. From the moment she was given Harry in her arms for the first time four hours after his birth until when she had to get ready to leave, she had practically never let go of him, not even for a second. For that, and for the conversations she had with James during those hours, she was grateful. She ached for her son to be in her arms. How tiring could looking after a newborn be, if compared to a sleep-deprived, energy-draining, global epic hunt for a bloody gang of weapon and human traffickers?

Lily tried to concentrate on her task. The absence of her son felt physiologically wrong, after carrying him inside for 36+ weeks, not having him around to hold challenged Lily to no end. That was, doubtlessly, the hardest hurdle to overcome, harder than any kind of fatigue, complication or frustration with the team that she had experienced during those days. In spite of continuously trying to rationalize everything, each night since the mission had started Lily would cry herself to sleep, and that night was set to be no different. Looking at the bright Milky Way, a few tears rolled down Lily's cheeks. Why did everything have to be so difficult?

 _9_ _th_ _August, 6:30 a.m._

Early in the morning the team gathered along with the Colombia and U.S. special squads on a large desert boulder to decide what to do next. They had been able to circle the gangsters inside the Tatacoa Desert, so that there would be no way out for them, however they were running late on their agenda, so a sense of urgency permeated in the air during the meeting. Lily, who would have rather slept the whole day, was trying her best to help shape the most efficient plan to catch all their targets, animatedly taking part in discussions and trying to include everyone's inputs. She usually did a good job at working in a team, however it was never easy to find a strategy everyone agreed on. Lily glanced disdainfully at Ronson, her hotheaded, career-ladder-climber, self-centered, G.I. Joe-like, chauvinist colleague. She could swear he had more testosterone than neurons, in his brain. His proposal of a plan was inefficient in the very least, if not foolish, but he was damn persuasive with his unquestioning self-confidence.

"… _I_ propose that we all wait in this cleft, the bandits are _bound_ to show up from this direction!" he yelled, pointing at their creased map with his stubby finger.

The Colombian squad leader, Captain Montoya, had his reservations about this plan: "Señor Ronson, we disagree, it is better we wait on the high ground above the cleft, the _bandidos_ can attack us from above if we stay down there…"

Lily supported Captain Montoya's argument. She wasn't alone. The teen prisoner, who was tied to a rock nearby, was desperately trying to catch Azalea's attention for translation. "Make the little shit shut up!" Ronson bellowed, spraying saliva everywhere. Lily and Ronson were at the same level in their careers, both awaiting a promotion. Their rivalry was exacerbated by their radically different views. "Azalea, go hear what the boy has to say" she said firmly, glaring at Ronson with an air of confrontation.

Everyone watched as Azalea animatedly gesticulated while talking to the boy, her curls bobbing as she did so.

"He says the gangsters know this area all too well, that in the cleft you were pointing at they have a den. Waiting there would be like inviting them to attack you" Azalea reported. A streak of fear was recognizable in her voice. It made perfect sense.

"I suggest we opt for Captain Montoya's strategy" stated Lily, matter-of-factly.

"Whaaat? Have you all become mad?! You are trusting an enemy! An _enemy_! Do you want us all to get killed?" Ronson barked

"He's not an enemy, Ronson, he's a boy, a victim of the gangsters. Moreover, the protocol is very clear: high ground equals total control; total control equals safety. Waiting in a cleft is something that even inexperienced trainees would _not_ do in this situation" Lily remarked.

"Protocol my bollocks! The prisoner suggesting that we lie in wait above the cleft is enough of a guarantee that the _contrary_ ought to be done! Evans has been brainwashed by the enemy!"

Eventually, in spite of Lily gaining support from quite a few members of the operation, Ronson's plan was deemed "potentially better in terms of time management", so the team had no choice but line up in the cleft.

 _10:00 a.m._

"This is _totally_ insane" muttered Lily while camouflaging herself. Georgios, a 26-year-old Greek recruit lying prone next to her heard her and nodded in understanding. He was a nice guy, one of those colleagues that were always good to have around. "Watch out, Georgios" she warned him.

They waited. And waited. The sun rose higher and higher in the sky. Despite the relative coolness that the cleft provided, staying still in that desert was a bit like roasting in a furnace.

While waiting, Lily mentally prepared herself. She _knew_ they'd have it bad. They had set everything up for disaster. It wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of _when_.

Whistling, she caught Georgios' attention. "Here" she said, throwing him a small black box. "When things get hairy, throw this at them, it's Disorienting Gas, then climb all the way up to the boulder above us and fight them from there". Every time she engaged in a dangerous mission, Lily was terribly anguished at the idea of losing her co-workers. She always made sure the team was, as a whole, as prepared as possible to receive attacks.

"Thanks Evans. You're the true leader, here" Georgios winked.

Lily, resting her chin on her forearms, started thinking about Harry again. Her reunion with her family was what was at stake that day. One misstep, and her dream would be squashed. Forever. She _had_ to succeed.

She felt slightly stupid for staying there, almost as if she were waiting for a shark to wolf her down. However, she reasoned, there's no catching criminals without any sort of confrontation, so if waiting in the cleft meant concluding the mission sooner, she was willing to do it.

 _11:30 a.m._

She was expecting it when the bandits attacked, but she wasn't expecting it to be so rough right from the beginning. They assaulted the team from the back, launching themselves from the boulders surrounding the cleft. She was instantly hit by a blocking hex. As she tried to resist the curse that was paralyzing her and swallow an antidote pill, the gangsters showered them with burning wooden balls. Lily could hear Ronson screaming like an injured pig somewhere amidst the confusion. A cloud of dust was rising. Lily joined the battle, doing what she could.

Minutes later, everybody was out of the cleft. Montoya and his men, the U.S. squad and Lily's team were all doing their best to control the situation. Lily hadn't seen Georgios in a while. With the corner of her eye, she saw a gangster aiming his wand at her. Before she could do anything, a _Crotalus durissus_ rattlesnake surprised her attacker from behind, enclosing the gangster's head in its coils. It took her a few seconds to realize what had happened: the boy prisoner, a Parselmouth, had set the deadly rattlesnake against the gangster, to protect her. Lily was speechless, immensely grateful. She approached the boy, who was tied to a boulder, and freed him. Before she could send him hiding somewhere safe her attention was caught by Azalea, who was heading towards her direction, screaming like a Banshee. Large pieces of flesh were detaching from her body as she ran, she had been hit by a terrible curse. Lily was horrified, she could read the terror in Azalea's eyes, her soft brown locks were stained with blood from her scalp. "Help me! Help me PLEASE!" Azalea shouted.

In that moment one of the ugly mugs, who also happened the boss of the gang, appeared, sneering. He was disgustingly looking at Azalea and at the boy before Lily. His almost inhuman stare was enough to send chills down Lily's spine

 _"_ _Debes morir!"_ he yelled madly, aiming at poor Azalea, who now was twisting on the dusty ground. He cast a curse that sounded much like a gunshot. Lily had a split second to react. Without hesitating, she positioned herself between the gangster and Azalea, shielding her and the boy with her own body. The curse hit Lily between the shoulder and the chest, she shrieked in pain as blood sprayed her and those surrounding her, but used a bestial amount of willpower not to collapse, knowing that if she did, he would have the upper hand. She couldn't die. Who would look after Harry? Gritting her teeth, she used all her energy to blast the gang boss off his feet with wandless magic. She was pretty darn good at it. Especially when she was angry. Her face was dotted with drops of her own blood, she could feel it dripping in her ear and wetting her shirt under the safety jacket, which had broken during the collision with the curse. The wound hurt so much… "Great" she thought sarcastically "I had just finished the last round of blood-replenishing potions". She reached the boss: she had knocked him out for good.

While she was placing restraining spells on him, an explosion occurred behind her back, blasting some of her colleagues in the air. She saw another gang member, a vicious skinny type, juggle with some sticks of plain old dynamite. A classic. However, Lily didn't like the looks of it: he was aiming at her team. She sensed danger and went after him. He saw her, and ran. She ran. She jumped and grabbed his shoulders mid-air, dragging him to the ground, ready to wrestle. The pain and blood loss were starting to numb her senses, so she had to use her mind as a driving force " _I want to go home and see Harry again…I want to hold him again!_ " she repeated herself. She was able to outperform him, she was a strong woman. Disgracefully, she hadn't been careful to watch her back, so she wasn't fully prepared when another gangster surprised her from behind. She turned around as he planted a knife in her arm with a savage look in his eyes. His original intention was to stab her neck, but she had moved just in time, thankfully. She charmed a cactus to magically confront her enemy. The cactus had a human shape, Lily mentally controlled it as it slammed its opponent to the ground, spiking its body with long, painful thorns.

Lily was so weak that she didn't even notice her superiors declare the mission over. She had accomplished a lot by capturing the boss, who was known as one of the deadliest men in South America, and the mission was declared a success. Lily however didn't perceive it to be so. She saw paramedics working on Azalea's torn body and she felt immensely helpless. It wasn't looking good for her.

She felt something tug at her sleeve. It was the boy, smiling at her. He, at least, was unharmed. He was short, with deep, black eyes. Lily couldn't resist hugging him.

A double-propeller helicopter had come to bring the team home. Lily started dragging herself towards it, but she was having difficulty. The boy noticed it and decided to assist her like a cane. While on her way to the helicopter, Lily was cheered on by many a Special Agents. "Let's hope we can _trabajar_ together again, Agent Evans", Captain Montoya cheerfully bid his farewell.

The team boarded the helicopter. Lily was sitting next to the teen boy, who wouldn't leave her side. They were in a rush, and would magically fly back to England as fast as they could because of the number of critical cases that needed immediate medical attention. Ronson was whining like a brat for a few burns on his body. Lily didn't seek medical assistance for her injuries, because she saw that the few paramedics were desperately trying to save Azalea, Georgios and two others. The boy was chanting some Nukak old magic healing formulas next to her, she hoped they could do something for her colleagues.

The rest of the travel was a blur. Azalea died halfway through the journey, they couldn't do anything to stop the curse from disintegrating her body. It was a painful atrocious death and what was hard for Lily to digest was that until the very end she had made it very clear that she did not want to surrender. Another man expired shortly before arriving. Lily was feeling sick, with the urge to throw up, more for the scene of her colleagues dying before her eyes than for her own helicopter ride-induced nausea.

Turning her head, she saw the teenager. He gave her hope. He was the true happy ending of the mission.

 **This chapter was very graphic, I feel it was necessary to give an idea of how rough the first wizarding war really was. The next chapter will be fluffier, with lots of Harry/Lily/James action. R/R, thanks!**


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